How Valuable Is Marko Arnautovic To West Ham?

Marko Arnautovic is one of the Premier League's most dangerous players. The Austrian arrived in the Premier League back in 2013, arriving at Stoke City for just £2 million. His preferred position then was a left winger. For Stoke he recorded 28 goals and 22 assists across four seasons in the England's top division. His performances for Stoke caught the eye of bigger clubs. As a result, in July 2017, Arnautovic moved the London side West Ham for £25 million. The Hammers man is a complete striker. A speedy player who is strong and good with the ball at his feet. He likes to take on players and create chances at goal. One of the best in the Premier League but how valuable to West Ham.

After a sloppy start at West Ham failing to record a goal or assist in the first four months of the season, Arnautovic was crucial for the Hammers. West Ham had been struggling at the start of the 2017/18 season. Arnautovic played on the wing for the first half of the season and struggled to deliver for the team. However come the home game against London rivals Chelsea, then West Ham manager David Moyes would move him into a No.9 striker position for the game against the blues.

When the Austrian scored his first goal against Chelsea on December the 9th, West Ham were 18th in the table struggling for points and had failed to register a win in two months. After the Hammers beat Chelsea that day 1-0, West Ham climbed to 11th place in the table after 7 games, picking up 15 points. Arnautovic scoring 5 and assisting 3. As the season went by, he scored a further 6 goals, assisted 3 and created 8 chances. This was all from a strikers position. As a result, the Irons finished 13th in the table with 42 points. Just 9 points clear of the relegation zone.

So far this season in 2018/19, he has picked up 4 goals and 1 assist in 7 games.

Before Arnautovic started scoring last season, West Ham's form in 2017/18 was diabolical, gaining just 10 points from 15 games, scoring 13 goals. The stats show that when Marko Arnautovic is at his best, he is a valuable player to West Ham.